Grady Harding Summer, 86, of Louisville, Ga., a former South Carolina pastor and college English teacher who went on to enjoy a long pastorate in Georgia, died Aug. 20, 2008, at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home.
SummerBorn in Chappells, S.C., Summer was educated in Newberry County. Upon completion of high school, he left home to serve in the Pacific Theater during World War II for 44 months as a medic and ward sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 31st General Hospital Unit in the New Hebrides Islands.
Following the war, he graduated with honors from Furman University with a bachelor’s degree in English. While attending Furman, he pastored his home church, Crossroads Baptist, Chappells. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he served as pastor at Coronaca Baptist Church near Greenwood.
He earned a master of divinity degree from Southern Baptist Seminary in 1954 and completed a second master’s degree there in theology in 1955. Upon graduation, he returned to South Carolina where he was called as pastor of Townville Baptist Church. While serving there, he also taught English at Anderson College (now University).
In 1958, he accepted a call to Louisville (Ga.) First Baptist, where he served as pastor for 28 years before retiring in 1986, when he was named pastor emeritus.
Summer served two terms on the Georgia Baptist Executive Committee, many years on the Georgia Baptist Hospital Board, and in other various capacities of the Georgia Baptist Convention.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Lillie (Tibby) Nash Summer, two daughters and a granddaughter.